A Brazilian priest disappeared over the south Atlantic Tuesday after he attempted to set a record for the longest flight using 1,000 helium-filled party balloons, the Reuters news agency reported.
Father Adelir Antonio de Carli, a 42-year-old Roman Catholic priest, began his journey Sunday in Paranagua, Brazil, and intended to fly 20 hours west. Instead, heavy winds blew de Carli on a southeastern course. His parishioners first learned he had veered off-course after the priest called Denise Gallas, the parish coordinator. He covered only 55 miles before he lost contact.
De Carli made the flight because he wanted to draw attention to his parish's work with truck drivers, Reuters reported.
Rescue workers began to use a boat to search for de Carli along the Santa Catarina coast Tuesday.
"We found bits of balloons all along the coast," Joao dos Santos Jr., deputy fire commander in Sao Francisco do Sul, told Reuters.
-M.M.
